Life Appears Once More
by urban-angel007
Summary: [AU]- He felt sorry for her. Yes, he used her too. Is making a paralyzed girl beautiful a crime? Better question- Is falling in love with this girl a crime? Inspired by Japanese drama "Beautiful Life". SessKag,MS. Change your hair style in Neo-Genesis.
1. Prologue

> **Prologue… 8 years ago**
> 
> **------------------------------------**
> 
> Her eyebrows shot up. This is new, she thought to herself as she stared hard at the report card that she was holding.
> 
> The boy that sat across from her was unfazed by the expression, since he expected a reaction something like the one she was showing.
> 
> "Are you sure that really is what you're interested in? I mean, there's no backing up." She persuaded, it was a miserable attempt to the white-spiked hair boy with the stoic expression on his face.
> 
> "Yes. It is my dream and my desire."
> 
> "Ok then. You need the prerequisite of 40 hours community service. It doesn't matter what functions you're doing to complete that. It doesn't even have to look for something in that field. Anything is fine."
> 
> "Well then, what does this school offers?"
> 
> "Tutorials."
> 
> One of the boy's eyebrows shot up.
> 
> "Which subject is open for me to participate then?"
> 
> "Sesshoumaru," the counselor messaged the bridge of her nose, "anything is fine. Your grade is the highest, I am sure anything is open for you."
> 
> "I'll take math then."
> 
> Sesshoumaru got up and walked towards the door.
> 
> "Are you really sure you want me to arrange the college application and the housing in England for you? For a career…" She wiggled her nose in disgust, "such as this?"
> 
> He stopped walking and looked at the counselor with his amber eyes that spoke coldness. If the counselor weren't so much older than him, she would not have questioned him in such a manner and would have been quivering in fear.
> 
> "I thought we went over that. For the last time; yes, I want you to help me arrange and yes, I want to go into hairstyling."
> 
> "But there is so much potential in you to be something more." The counselor's plea fell on deaf ears as Sesshoumaru slammed the door in his way out.
> 
> --
> 
> He glanced at the girl. Once in a while she would frown and interrupt him to verify a certain set of instruction and formulae. He wouldn't say she was annoying, but she never took a glance at him more than a second, and each time she didn't meet his eyes. There was also a little pet peeve to him that she would always talk to the notebook. That set of action he found annoying for the whole two months.
> 
> He closed the pen cap; indicating tutorial was over as she packed her things.
> 
> They never talk much except the basic greetings as they walk out of the classroom.
> 
> Most of the time, silence was the only exchange between them.
> 
> Kagome, being the shy girl that she was just couldn't get over the fact that she was standing beside the most wanted bachelor of Tokyo High.
> 
> Of course, she still wasn't use to the fact the famous Sesshoumaru has been tutoring her for two months.
> 
> His tall, lithe frame and the slight muscles on his arms were admired by the jocks as they stared at him enviously.
> 
> The nerds adored his grade as they swore to themselves that they would score higher than him one day.
> 
> To the girls he was perfect and was in fact, beautiful like a god.
> 
> His white and spiked hair would glisten under the sun and his amber colored eyes stood him apart the most.
> 
> Everyday, people would talk about him- mainly about whether he was gay or not, due to the fact that it was a fact that he didn't have a girlfriend. His hair and the color of his eyes would be the next subject they would talk about, whether they were neutral or dyed and color contacts.
> 
> Kagome Higurashi, the 16-year-old girl, was in fact, a lucky girl walking beside the literally 'holier-than-thou' eighteen-year-old boy.
> 
> The fact that he was single and the possibility of him being gay made girls from the whole Tokyo High crazy about him and many of them would disown their boyfriends just to have him look at them for more than a second or have contact with them more than the slight brush in the crowded hallway.
> 
> Kagome was not one of the girls, as she tended to be on the conservative side. She found the whole 'idol-chasing' a bit ridiculous to say the least. Sure, she gradually admitted to herself that he was hot, but that was that. His coldness and him being remotely stoic was a major turn off for her- something that was considered very unusual as that was one of the major points that Sesshoumaru was the girl magnet that he is today.
> 
> Besides, she has a nice and friendly but a bit too possessive boyfriend named Kouga.
> 
> "You need a ride home?" A black motorcycle stopped in front of her outside the school entrance.
> 
> It was beyond her how Sesshoumaru was with her one minute, and the next, getting ready to go home on his motorcycle.
> 
> Again, him riding a Yamaha black motorcycle being another 'turn-on' point for girls.
> 
> "Um..." She fumbled with the zipper of her wind blocker as light raindrops hit the pavement.
> 
> Now the bachelor asked her if she needed a ride home? Many girls would have killed her if they found out, she thought.
> 
> "Don't worry. It's save." The frigid voice assured her.
> 
> What the hell. "I guess." Kagome timidly placed her hands on his shoulders.
> 
> "Tighter. You're going to fly off with that grip." Sesshoumaru indicated her hands after she put on her helmet.
> 
> "Do you know where I live?" She held on tighter on Sesshoumaru's shoulders as he released the brakes.
> 
> "Yes."
> 
> That was it. He didn't elaborate further with his answers as to how he would know.
> 
> "How do you know?" Kagome couldn't help but ask. She wouldn't mind such a hot guy being her stalker… but still.
> 
> "I had to drop my girlfriend in your shrine before. She's the tutor of your brother."
> 
> "Kanna?" Kagome gasped in surprised- something she couldn't help doing.
> 
> Sota always stressed about what a bitch she was. The girl barely acknowledged the existence of her, and from the slight wince that always appeared on her brother's face, she believed the tutorials of her brother were painful. Mrs. Higurashi ignored that little known fact, since her son was improving greatly in school. Kanna didn't go to her school, but a preppy high school near the shrine. She became her little brother's tutor since Sota's home teacher recommended her in the teacher-parent interview.
> 
> "Yes. That's her."
> 
> Kagome sighed, so much for the 'known facts' that circulated in school- and how the girls would be disappointed.
> 
> --
> 
> She never thought yesterday was the last times he would see him. Kagome rolled her eyes. She thought she would be different than the girls in her class and possibly the half of the population of Tokyo High.
> 
> After all, she knew he has a girlfriend.
> 
> People said he went to England to study law. Others said he went to study commerce. There was the minority that said he's studying hairstyling in England, but jeered by all others.
> 
> One certain fact- if there was one established in the midst of rumors considering how 'reliable' rumors were about him being single was he went to England after his completion of exams and early graduation.
> 
> "Kagome-chan."
> 
> She found herself surrounded by a flock of girls.
> 
> "Was it true?"
> 
> "What?" A puzzled smile stayed on her face.
> 
> "Was it true that Sesshoumaru-kun gave you a ride home after tutorial yesterday?"
> 
> "Was it true he kissed you good-bye?"
> 
> "Was it true he loved you?"
> 
> Kagome shut her eyes. Oh gosh, what the heck are they talking about? Sesshoumaru did give her a ride, but after that, they said goodbyes and she stepped into her house.
> 
> "Is it true you love him?"
> 
> Kagome held out one of her hands, telling them to stop.
> 
> "He gave me a ride home. That was it. Nothing else." She opened her eyes and flashed them a friendly smile.
> 
> "That was it?" One of the girls eyed her skeptically.
> 
> She nodded her head.
> 
> The girls looked at one another and at Kagome with envy before leaving and her in peace.
> 
> --
> 
> Her legs excruciated pain. Kagome tried to stand up. Her legs gave up on her as she collapsed on the floor.
> 
> Never had she felt pain such as this. She bit the bottom of her lips as she tried again.
> 
> No avail.
> 
> Footsteps were heard outside of her closed door. The door opened and both her brothers, mother and grandpa stepped into the room since they heard the huge crash.
> 
> "Are you ok, nee-chan?" Miroku, her older brother asked.
> 
> Sota looked at his sister paled with fear written on his face. He had never seen his sister ever twisted her legs in such horrific angles and her face that flushed before.
> 
> "Call the hospital!" Kagome's mother yelped at her father-in-law. He ran into the room for the phone.
> 
> "I don't know what's wrong with me! I just got up like any other day. I can sit up, but my legs!" Kagome cried when pressure was put on her legs once more. Angry and painful tears rolled down her face.
> 
> Her mother, not knowing what to do, wrapped her arms around her daughter. Her daughter felt hot in her arms. She touched her forehead and gasped. Kagome was burning. She took a look at her legs- they were swelled with redness.
> 
> "I'd never felt pain like this, mom!" Kagome breathed out, tears sliding from the corners of her eyes.
> 
> Miroku paced around the room like a caged animal. Sota, a younger version of Miroku chose to sit Indian-styled and stared at his older sister helplessly.
> 
> They too, don't know what to do until the ambulance arrives.
> 
> --
> 
> "Mrs. Higurashi." The doctor began. Lines were written on his forehead. He didn't know how to tell the family. He was a fresh and young doctor that just stepped out of university. He was not tainted with pain and death yet.
> 
> The family peered at him anxiously. Kagome was stationed in a room. Her older and younger brothers both had frowns on their faces, the old man stared at him straight on, trying to read his eyes, and the woman had puffy and red eyes- signs of crying.
> 
> They were not making his job easier. "Your daughter was sick for three days with fever, correct?"
> 
> The family nodded their heads.
> 
> He continued, " did you check her temperature then?"
> 
> "She said she can check it herself, every time she told us her temperature was in the range of 102-103 Fahrenheit." Mrs. Higurashi replied.
> 
> The doctor looked at her gravely. "Not so. She was burning beyond 103 Fahrenheit. By the time she was sent to the hospital, she was burning with 108.5. Her nerves from her hips to her toes suffered and burnt."
> 
> "What the hell does that mean?" The older boy with black hair slammed his hand on the desk in grief.
> 
> The woman patted her son's shoulder trying to calm him down.
> 
> "To be direct," the doctor gulped inaudibly, the family of the patient didn't need to know he was nervous about breaking the news. He stared at the family, meeting each of the member's eyes a few moments, behind his frameless glasses. "Meaning Kagome will be paralyzed from this day onwards because of the fever she is suffering."
> 
> The family gasped before they bombarded him with questions.
> 
> --
> 
> **Beginning theme song:** **At the Beginning- Richard Marx and Donna Lewis**
> 
> _We were strangers, starting out on a journey_
> 
> _Never dreaming, what we'd have to go through_
> 
> _Now here we are, I'm suddenly standing_
> 
> _At the beginning with you_
> 
> _No one told me, I was going to find you_
> 
> _Unexpected, what you did to my heart_
> 
> _When I lost hope_
> 
> _You were there to remind me_
> 
> _This is the start_
> 
> _And life is a road and I wanna keep goin'_
> 
> _Love is a river I wanna keep flowin'_
> 
> _Life is a road now and forever wonderful journey_
> 
> _I'll be there when the world stops turning_
> 
> _I'll be there when the storm is through_
> 
> _In the end I want to be standing_
> 
> _At the beginning with you_
> 
> _We were strangers, on a crazy adventure_
> 
> _Never dreaming, how our dreams would come true_
> 
> _Now here we stand, unafraid of the future_
> 
> _At the beginning with you_
> 
> __
> 
> _And life is a road and I wanna keep goin'_
> 
> _Love is a river I wanna keep flowin'_
> 
> _Life is a road now and forever wonderful journey_
> 
> _I'll be there when the world stops turning_
> 
> _I'll be there when the storm is through_
> 
> _In the end I want to be standing_
> 
> _At the beginning with you_
> 
> _Knew there was somebody somewhere,_
> 
> _Like me alone in the dark_
> 
> _Now I know my dream will live on_
> 
> _I've been waiting so long_
> 
> _Nothing is going to tear us apart_
> 
> _And life is a road and I wanna keep goin'_
> 
> _Love is a river I wanna keep flowin'_
> 
> _Life is a road now and forever wonderful journey_
> 
> _I'll be there when the world stops turning_
> 
> _I'll be there when the storm is through_
> 
> _In the end I want to be standing_
> 
> _At the beginning with you_
> 
> _Life is a road and I wanna keep goin'_
> 
> _Love is a river I wanna keep goin' on_
> 
> _Starting out on a journey_
> 
> _Life is a road and I wanna keep goin'_
> 
> _Love is a river I wanna keep flowin'_
> 
> _In the end I wanna be standing_
> 
> _At the beginning with you._
> 
> **------------------------------------**


	2. Chapter 1 The Certainly Irritating Guy

**Chapter 1: The Certainly Irritating Guy **

_**Present… 8 Years Later **_

-----------------------------------------------------------------

"Sango, hurry up!" Kagome called behind her.

Sango ran from the back storage room to help her partner as customers lined up by the two cashiers.

The two women worked in Leanne's- a general art shop that sold both supplies and paintings. Art classes were taking place in the classrooms along the back hallway.

After a while, the customers thinned out and the two finally had time to breathe again.

Kagome rolled herself to one of the vacant art room. Her nearly finished canvas stood on its stencil, as if waiting for the final touches.

Her canvas was adorned with primary and secondary colors, but if one looked closely, a pair of scissors, chair, comb and a mirror can be found. The boss of Neo-Genesis- a hair salon, was a good friend of the main director of Leanne's and she insisted Kagome to 'do the honor' of painting for Neo-Genesis. Kagome decided to play with the concept of abstract art.

The canvas was due later that evening and since it was morning, Kagome didn't feel any pressure on her. Sango walked in and helped Kagome adjust the stencil to her height.

She smiled graciously at her friend and wheeled herself to the sink to wash her set of tiny paintbrushes and filled a tin can with water.

"Go back to the front, I can manage." Kagome said cheerfully.

"It's ok. Kagura's covering my back."

They both made a face and laughed.

"Maybe I'll go back. Nice painting." Sango dusted the imaginary dust from her pants, got up and walked out of the door.

Kagome smiled after her friend. Sango was one of her bestest friend- that is, if there is such a word as 'bestest'. She was one of the people who looked past her disability and aided her in anyway she can- not out of pity but as a sister in need. Sango was definitely a nice friend to have, also able to cheer her up in sad times.

Sango met her when she was hired. Kagome was a 'newbie', and some of the girls whispered to one another, a few went so far as to pointing at her wheelchair. It was Sango that rebuked them and smiled at Kagome with open friendliness.

"What the hell is that?" A deep voice asked behind her as Kagome washed her paintbrushes again after the completion of her painting.

"What the hell is what?" Kagome twirled her wheelchair around from the sink and stared at the owner of the voice.

"That." The man said, pointing to the finished painting.

The man had cold amber eyes, long white silky hair that fall past his broad shoulders tied in a low ponytail. His right ear was pierced with two thin silver tiny hoops. A pair of orange shade perched on his head to match his gray sweatshirt, a pair of cargo and a pair of suede shoes. His whole outfit gave his skin a glow in the dimly lit classroom.

"That is my painting." Kagome growled, making a desperate attempt to stop herself from gawking at the gorgeous guy.

Everything about him is fake- dyed white hair and color contacts, she repeated to herself.

"Why are you here? You're not allowed to be at this end of the hallway if you are not picking up a child or here for a class or whatever."

Shut up Kagome, she told herself.

"Oh! I am so sorry about ignoring you back at the front; I was serving that clumsy old man. Anyway, my name is Kagura, can I help you with anything?" A girl breezed into the glass-walled room, pointedly ignoring Kagome as she batted her eyelashes at the guy.

"I am here to pick up a painting for Neo-Genesis." A dry response from the hot guy.

Kagura stared at him some more, but now with a spark of recognition. "You're from neo-Genesis? You must be Sesshoumaru Takiyura! You were featured on last month's issue of 'B-Flash!' right?"

He nodded, a scowl was apparent on his face. He had no time for the little chit chat- not that the now gawking Kagura noticed.

This is Sesshoumaru? Kagome questioned herself. He was obviously as gorgeous as ever. In the end, he became the famous hair stylist? It was indeed true that he went to England to study hairstyling? Kagome studied Sesshoumaru under new light and of course, many questions filled her head.

"The drawing you are to pick up isn't dry yet. Come back later this evening as planned." Kagome pointed behind her as she wheeled herself between Sesshoumaru and the unmistakably-still-clueless-that-the-guy-is-annoyed-and-still-watching-him-like-a-hawk Kagura.

"That is the painting?" Sesshoumaru looked down at Kagome from his 6-feet frame and stared at the painting once more.

"I don't see why the boss specifically asked you to paint, but if he wants abstract, he got it. Three year-olds can hand paint better than that. Then again, it's my own opinion." He stepped out of the room without a second glance.

Kagura chased after him.

"It's time you should realize it's your own opinion." Kagome muttered while scratching her curly Afro mess perched on her head also known as hair.

She never had nice hair. Ever since the day she was born, her hair was rough, wiry and curled automatically in the most unreasonable way. Hairdressers tried their best, but the best they can do was perm her hair and make it into a medium sized Afro.

Unfortunately, Afros just weren't 'in' for a very long time.

"I hate Sesshoumaru. Never liked him and never will." She glared at his disappearing back.

"Whoa! That guy with the white hair was hot. Maybe white is 'in' this year? Did you see that guy, Kagome?" Sango walked in.

"Yes. I hate his guts."

Sango stared at her friend and from the way she tightened her grip of the wheels of her wheelchair, she realized Kagome was in a foul and dangerous mood.

"Ok. I'll see ya later." Sango walked out of the room again.

Kagura was nowhere to be found.

Probably men-hunting again. Sango mused herself.

Kagome, Kagura and her were 24 years old and were still single. Kagome just didn't care all that much about romance after her high school sweetheart Kouga dumped her like a sack of potatoes right after he knew she was paralyzed for life- something Kagome told her in a joking manner and a smile. She knew Kagome was faking it, since behind her faux cheeriness she saw hurt written in her eyes. Kagura was one desperate woman and scared a few men enough that they ran out screaming- something that Sango herself witnessed once before. She herself was waiting for "Mr. Right"- although she was getting a little impatient.

Overall they were friends although Kagura can get a little rude to Kagome when men were around. Probably because she couldn't completely look at Kagome pass her disability and is still afraid of what men think of hear hanging around the disabled people.

Sango snapped herself out of her daydream and helped a young girl pick out the paintbrushes she would need for the art class.

Maybe Kagura's not that mean and immature at all. Just my imagination, Sango thought.

------------------------------------------


End file.
